Paper sheet pickup device

A paper sheet pickup device comprising:

• a pickup member having a suction hole and configured to run along a paper sheet supplied to the pickup position;
• a single negative pressure chamber provided on a reverse side of the pickup member and configured to apply negative pressure to the paper sheet at the pickup position through the suction hole;
• a vacuum pump configured to draw air from the single negative pressure chamber;
• a first opening and closing device configured to open and close a first passage that connects the pump and the single negative pressure chamber;
• an air feeding device configured to feed in air to the single negative pressure chamber;
• a second opening and closing device configured to open and close a second passage that connects the air feeding device and the single negative pressure chamber;
• and
• a controller configured to control the first opening and closing device to open the first passage after the second opening and closing device closes the second passage, when applying the negative pressure to the paper sheet at the pickup position, and also configured to control the second opening and closing device to open the second passage after the first opening and closing device closes the first passage, when resolving the negative pressure,
• wherein the air feeding device uses an exhaust of the pump, and
• wherein the first and second opening and closing device are configured as a single valve unit.